What exactly changes?

The 90-day rule in any 180-day period already existed for citizens of non-Schengen countries. However, until now it was applied loosely, through manual stamping of passports.

The digital border control system, known as the Entry/Exit System (EES), will digitize and automate this control, registering every entry and exit of non-EU citizens in the 29 countries that make up the Schengen area.

This means that anyone with a third country nationality, whether British, Turkish or from any other country outside the Schengen area, who works frequently in Europe can exhaust their quota of days in a few weeks. Once the limit is exceeded, they will not be able to legally enter any Schengen country until their counter is reset, which in practice can mean months of waiting.

Why should Spanish exporters be concerned?

The problem is not only with the carriers or their countries of origin. If you work with distributors, logistics operators, installers or service technicians who are nationals of a non-Schengen country and operate regularly in Europe, their operational capacity can be seriously reduced overnight.

For capital goods manufacturers, where after-sales service, installation and technical assistance are a fundamental part of the value offered to the customer, any friction in the mobility of people can have direct consequences on customer satisfaction and competitiveness.

The impact can come from unexpected quarters: a specialized Turkish technician, a trusted British haulier or a Moroccan installer who has been providing service in Spain for years may suddenly find his days are numbered and he is unable to operate.

What can be done now

• Identify which key people in the value chain, whether logisticians, technicians, installers or sales people, are nationals of a non-Schengen country and travel frequently to Europe.
• Calculate how many days you have accumulated in the Schengen area in the last six months and anticipate possible restrictions.
• Explore with our partners whether they have contingency plans for this situation.
• In the most critical cases, assess whether it makes sense to seek alternatives with professionals with European nationality or residence in the EU.

An evolving situation

The European Commission has recognized that certain professionals who depend on mobility between member states, such as truck drivers working for European companies, may need to be treated differently. However, for the moment there is no concrete solution on the table, and any route through the visa system would involve additional costs and bureaucratic management.